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Having seen the amount of comments regarding the IRTC's current pause, it's
clear that there is a real spirit of competition amongst many users who are
now looking for a productive outlet for that.
I've been associated with the IRTC since it was the 'RTC' and run by Matt
Kruse. However irtc.org has always been 'the' IRTC, and honestly I don't
expect this to change a lot. IMO the admins have done a fantastic job in
keeping the competition rolling for more than ten years. Even if the current
situation is not resolved there is no technical reason for the site to be
closed down (though of course it would be wise to modify any parts that refer
to accepting submissions and so forth).
However this is not the primary point I want to make in this post.
My point I think is that the IRTC can operate in parallel with whatever might
come up to serve as an outlet for this creative spirit of yours. It is not a
case of 'replacing' the IRTC, or even having a successor to it. Just for
there to be something suitable (and preferably fairly automated) that can
operate as your virtual sounding stage.
I can provide the POVCOMP site source code and web hosting for a new
competition. Long-time POV user Lance Birch, a professional web designer, is
willing to supervise and assist with the coding stage. We would need some
additional help there, as well as at least three trusted people who are
willing to make a long term commitment to supervising the operation of the
contest.
Going on, to me, the question is: what would pique your interest and keep it
long term? A clone of the IRTC? Or something quite different, but with a
similar flavor? Or something else entirely? Or even a competition that has no
set flavor - one that changes according to the times?
I would like to suggest one possibility. It would be interesting to be able
to conduct a series of competitions - of variable length according to
difficulty - that I would perhaps describe as the "POV-Team's Challenge".
This would involve us coming up with interesting or intriguing ideas for
renderings - either stills or animations - and challenging you guys to show
us what y'all can do. It need not be limited to POV-Ray, though of course
that's our primary focus.
I've no opinion how voting would work. But the winner(s) of each round would
get a nice virtual medal rendered in 100% recycled electrons and a spiffy
title of some sort. Possibly I could even tweak the news server web view to
auto-append an award JPG of some sort to the bottom of all their posts whilst
they hold the title (i.e. the badge stays there permanently, but only gets
added to posts they make whilst title-holder. Or something like that.)
Anyhow: what sort of ideas might we pitch? Here's a few that come to mind:
1. Challenge: make us laugh. No cliches! Be original.
2. Challenge: using http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/28710584/ as your
inspiration, come up with something different (no copies!) but that
invokes a similar sense (of, perhaps, anticipation?*) in viewers minds.
* this word makes me think of the RHPS. Anyone for a Rocky Horror round?
3. You are provided with a photograph of an equipment room of some sort
(perhaps a server room). It has plenty of electronic/computer gear/
wiring in it. You also get measurements of the room and of the larger
bits of furniture within it, sufficient to re-create a reasonable
facsimile of it.
Challenge: steampunk it. Photorealism is encouraged.
4. You are supplied a music track in mp3 format and a data file in text
format, suitable for parsing by POV-Ray's SDL.
Prior to the start of the competition, a group of you would have created
a set of SDL routines to manipulate, interpolate, and otherwise use this
raw data in order to be able to perform the below task (if you're not
using POV, you will have to find your own way to deal with it).
The data file contains sufficient information that the audio can be
matched to each of the 3 or 4 instruments used to record it, such that
an instrument or scene could be animated in time with it.
Challenge: create an animation using the above. It is not required that
you animate instruments. You may choose to make something trippy or
cool coupled with the beat. It's up to you. Length should be at least
20 seconds, but would preferably be the same as that of the audio file.
To be reasonably feasible I would expect that most of the animation
would have to be automated - but SDL is one of POV's strengths.
[This challenge was inspired by Animusic*, LOR**, the 'Wizards of
Winter' video***, and similar items over the years].
* http://www.animusic.com/
** http://www.lotsofrobots.com/
*** http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IK90Ys2LhSo
5. You are supplied with a set of images that, if put together, form a
short film (in the region of 300 seconds or so). This movie is shot
using a real video camera and consists of a defined room or outdoor
area, the measurements of which are supplied to you, along with the
details and locations of one or two of the major items of furniture
present. You are additionally provided with camera tracking data* in
a form suitable to be used in SDL, plus some macros to deal with it.
The actual details of the video, where it is shot, and what it contains
(e.g. if there are people present, and if so, what they are doing/saying
etc) will be determined by reasonable consensus in advance.
Challenge: render something into this scene such that the finished
result appears seamless. You can choose any part of the supplied data,
including non-sequential portions, but the result should be at least 20
seconds long.
[Obviously, http://runevision.com/3d/anims/hologram.asp inspired this].
* If possible this will be high-accuracy date captured from the physical
camera motion, if we can get access to the equipment required. If not
then it would be derived.
4 and 5 would obviously be longer-term projects and may run in parallel with
shorter ones. Participants in all of these challenges would be encouraged to
share WIP's, techniques, and macros with others if they so choose. The spirit
of the challenges to experiment, learn, enjoy, do new things, and most of all
create neat stuff with POV.
So. Anyone interested?
-- Chris
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Chris:
Regardless of the future state of the IRTC, I'd love to see some challenges come from
the POV-Ray team. I think many of us have been looking arround for *different*
challenges lately, for example
CGSphere. I especially like the idea of the more complex, long-term challenges that
you present, #3, #4 and #5. Excellent ideas!
Kyle
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Chris Cason wrote:
> Having seen the amount of comments regarding the IRTC's current pause, it's
> clear that there is a real spirit of competition amongst many users who are
> now looking for a productive outlet for that.
>
> I've been associated with the IRTC since it was the 'RTC' and run by Matt
> Kruse. However irtc.org has always been 'the' IRTC, and honestly I don't
> expect this to change a lot. IMO the admins have done a fantastic job in
> keeping the competition rolling for more than ten years. Even if the current
> situation is not resolved there is no technical reason for the site to be
> closed down (though of course it would be wise to modify any parts that refer
> to accepting submissions and so forth).
>
> However this is not the primary point I want to make in this post.
>
> My point I think is that the IRTC can operate in parallel with whatever might
> come up to serve as an outlet for this creative spirit of yours. It is not a
> case of 'replacing' the IRTC, or even having a successor to it. Just for
> there to be something suitable (and preferably fairly automated) that can
> operate as your virtual sounding stage.
>
> I can provide the POVCOMP site source code and web hosting for a new
> competition. Long-time POV user Lance Birch, a professional web designer, is
> willing to supervise and assist with the coding stage. We would need some
> additional help there, as well as at least three trusted people who are
> willing to make a long term commitment to supervising the operation of the
> contest.
>
> Going on, to me, the question is: what would pique your interest and keep it
> long term? A clone of the IRTC? Or something quite different, but with a
> similar flavor? Or something else entirely? Or even a competition that has no
> set flavor - one that changes according to the times?
>
> I would like to suggest one possibility. It would be interesting to be able
> to conduct a series of competitions - of variable length according to
> difficulty - that I would perhaps describe as the "POV-Team's Challenge".
>
> This would involve us coming up with interesting or intriguing ideas for
> renderings - either stills or animations - and challenging you guys to show
> us what y'all can do. It need not be limited to POV-Ray, though of course
> that's our primary focus.
>
> I've no opinion how voting would work. But the winner(s) of each round would
> get a nice virtual medal rendered in 100% recycled electrons and a spiffy
> title of some sort. Possibly I could even tweak the news server web view to
> auto-append an award JPG of some sort to the bottom of all their posts whilst
> they hold the title (i.e. the badge stays there permanently, but only gets
> added to posts they make whilst title-holder. Or something like that.)
>
> Anyhow: what sort of ideas might we pitch? Here's a few that come to mind:
>
> 1. Challenge: make us laugh. No cliches! Be original.
>
> 2. Challenge: using http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/28710584/ as your
> inspiration, come up with something different (no copies!) but that
> invokes a similar sense (of, perhaps, anticipation?*) in viewers minds.
>
> * this word makes me think of the RHPS. Anyone for a Rocky Horror round?
>
> 3. You are provided with a photograph of an equipment room of some sort
> (perhaps a server room). It has plenty of electronic/computer gear/
> wiring in it. You also get measurements of the room and of the larger
> bits of furniture within it, sufficient to re-create a reasonable
> facsimile of it.
>
> Challenge: steampunk it. Photorealism is encouraged.
>
> 4. You are supplied a music track in mp3 format and a data file in text
> format, suitable for parsing by POV-Ray's SDL.
>
> Prior to the start of the competition, a group of you would have created
> a set of SDL routines to manipulate, interpolate, and otherwise use this
> raw data in order to be able to perform the below task (if you're not
> using POV, you will have to find your own way to deal with it).
>
> The data file contains sufficient information that the audio can be
> matched to each of the 3 or 4 instruments used to record it, such that
> an instrument or scene could be animated in time with it.
>
> Challenge: create an animation using the above. It is not required that
> you animate instruments. You may choose to make something trippy or
> cool coupled with the beat. It's up to you. Length should be at least
> 20 seconds, but would preferably be the same as that of the audio file.
>
> To be reasonably feasible I would expect that most of the animation
> would have to be automated - but SDL is one of POV's strengths.
>
> [This challenge was inspired by Animusic*, LOR**, the 'Wizards of
> Winter' video***, and similar items over the years].
>
> * http://www.animusic.com/
> ** http://www.lotsofrobots.com/
> *** http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IK90Ys2LhSo
>
> 5. You are supplied with a set of images that, if put together, form a
> short film (in the region of 300 seconds or so). This movie is shot
> using a real video camera and consists of a defined room or outdoor
> area, the measurements of which are supplied to you, along with the
> details and locations of one or two of the major items of furniture
> present. You are additionally provided with camera tracking data* in
> a form suitable to be used in SDL, plus some macros to deal with it.
>
> The actual details of the video, where it is shot, and what it contains
> (e.g. if there are people present, and if so, what they are doing/saying
> etc) will be determined by reasonable consensus in advance.
>
> Challenge: render something into this scene such that the finished
> result appears seamless. You can choose any part of the supplied data,
> including non-sequential portions, but the result should be at least 20
> seconds long.
>
> [Obviously, http://runevision.com/3d/anims/hologram.asp inspired this].
>
> * If possible this will be high-accuracy date captured from the physical
> camera motion, if we can get access to the equipment required. If not
> then it would be derived.
>
> 4 and 5 would obviously be longer-term projects and may run in parallel with
> shorter ones. Participants in all of these challenges would be encouraged to
> share WIP's, techniques, and macros with others if they so choose. The spirit
> of the challenges to experiment, learn, enjoy, do new things, and most of all
> create neat stuff with POV.
>
> So. Anyone interested?
>
> -- Chris
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Yes I think variable lengths is a good idea, allowing the "bar" to be
"raised" while making simpler contests available and immediate.
Didn't know you were a Rocky Horror fan. I was just invited to
Robbins'/Sarandon's ranch on Sunday. Their son is goalie on the hockey
team my daughter plays on. Tim Robbins LOVES hockey, got the whole team
out to his little natural ice rink so HE could play a game. He plays
full out.
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The reason why I have not made IRTC images after the few attempts
I made quite many years ago is that in order to make any decent image
requires tons of work and talent.
The short code contests, on the other hand, have been fun and I have
been quite succesfull there (two second positions, one top ten position)
because they didn't require all that much work and talent, but more
ingenuity and programming expertise.
It would be nice if the "new IRTC" (of sorts) would also appeal to
the more technical people like me, and not just the talented artists
like the IRTC so far. :)
--
- Warp
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Warp <war### [at] tag povrayorg> wrote:
> The short code contests, on the other hand, have been fun
Btw, the short code contests have been one of the best advertisements
for POV-Ray I have ever seen. For example, check this:
http://www.fazed.net/view/?id=12870&last
--
- Warp
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Fantastic ideas Chris!
Although I have only participated in two IRTC rounds, I am an avid fan
of it. I think all of your ideas are great, and I'd love to support the
effort or help out in any way I could. I probably couldn't be of much
using developing the contest site as I only know HTML editing and
C#/C++, and not much in between in terms of web development. If
graphics are needed, or merely participation in the contests, I can
definitely help.
The ideas for creative competitions are all good ones and I agree that
there should definitely be parallel challenges with different time
lengths. I think it would also be good to have a regularly held contest
with a basic theme and unchanging set of rules, like the IRTC currently
does. That may give the competition some stability and a larger base of
participants. I see the creative, longer duration challenges as
contests that only the most ambitious (or those who are interested in
the unique idea) would undertake. So it will probably have fewer
participants like the IRTC animation rounds currently do.
Yes, let's fire up another competition site based off of POVCOMP with
multiple unique challenges and ones that parallel the IRTC as well. I
don't want the IRTC to go anywhere, and I don't want this to replace the
IRTC, but a little competition always helps move things along too ;)
I'm in!
Skip
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Thanks indeed Chris, for your outlook.
I always wait till other people have given their comments :-) They are often
much better in formulating things than I am. So I join and support the
comments already given here. Warp's comment in particular, I found
interesting as I had not realized that point consciously. It is very
important that a future IRTC, or its continuing, should provide for the
artistic-minded and the technical-minded, in alternance or in parallel
competitions. We all can learn profoundly from both aspects, and I believe
they may even strengthen and complement each other.
I am very much in favour also of the proposals you have given, especially
the use of Challenges, with shorter or longer runtimes and/or complexities.
But again, let me stress the importance of some survival of the classic IRTC
philosophy as a continuity link, or a backbone if you wish, of the
competion(s).
Thomas
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"Chris Cason" <del### [at] deletethistoopovrayorg> wrote in
message news:45c076e4@news.povray.org...
> Having seen the amount of comments regarding the IRTC's current pause,
it's
> clear that there is a real spirit of competition amongst many users who
are
> now looking for a productive outlet for that.
>
> I've been associated with the IRTC since it was the 'RTC' and run by Matt
> Kruse. However irtc.org has always been 'the' IRTC, and honestly I don't
> expect this to change a lot. IMO the admins have done a fantastic job in
> keeping the competition rolling for more than ten years. Even if the
current
> situation is not resolved there is no technical reason for the site to be
> closed down (though of course it would be wise to modify any parts that
refer
> to accepting submissions and so forth).
>
> However this is not the primary point I want to make in this post.
>
> My point I think is that the IRTC can operate in parallel with whatever
might
> come up to serve as an outlet for this creative spirit of yours. It is not
a
> case of 'replacing' the IRTC, or even having a successor to it. Just for
> there to be something suitable (and preferably fairly automated) that can
> operate as your virtual sounding stage.
>
> I can provide the POVCOMP site source code and web hosting for a new
> competition. Long-time POV user Lance Birch, a professional web designer,
is
> willing to supervise and assist with the coding stage. We would need some
> additional help there, as well as at least three trusted people who are
> willing to make a long term commitment to supervising the operation of the
> contest.
>
> Going on, to me, the question is: what would pique your interest and keep
it
> long term? A clone of the IRTC? Or something quite different, but with a
> similar flavor? Or something else entirely? Or even a competition that has
no
> set flavor - one that changes according to the times?
>
> I would like to suggest one possibility. It would be interesting to be abl
e
> to conduct a series of competitions - of variable length according to
> difficulty - that I would perhaps describe as the "POV-Team's Challenge".
>
> This would involve us coming up with interesting or intriguing ideas for
> renderings - either stills or animations - and challenging you guys to
show
> us what y'all can do. It need not be limited to POV-Ray, though of course
> that's our primary focus.
>
> I've no opinion how voting would work. But the winner(s) of each round
would
> get a nice virtual medal rendered in 100% recycled electrons and a spiffy
> title of some sort. Possibly I could even tweak the news server web view
to
> auto-append an award JPG of some sort to the bottom of all their posts
whilst
> they hold the title (i.e. the badge stays there permanently, but only gets
> added to posts they make whilst title-holder. Or something like that.)
>
> Anyhow: what sort of ideas might we pitch? Here's a few that come to mind:
>
> 1. Challenge: make us laugh. No cliches! Be original.
>
> 2. Challenge: using http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/28710584/ as
your
> inspiration, come up with something different (no copies!) but that
> invokes a similar sense (of, perhaps, anticipation?*) in viewers
minds.
>
> * this word makes me think of the RHPS. Anyone for a Rocky Horror
round?
>
> 3. You are provided with a photograph of an equipment room of some sort
> (perhaps a server room). It has plenty of electronic/computer gear/
> wiring in it. You also get measurements of the room and of the larger
> bits of furniture within it, sufficient to re-create a reasonable
> facsimile of it.
>
> Challenge: steampunk it. Photorealism is encouraged.
>
> 4. You are supplied a music track in mp3 format and a data file in text
> format, suitable for parsing by POV-Ray's SDL.
>
> Prior to the start of the competition, a group of you would have
created
> a set of SDL routines to manipulate, interpolate, and otherwise use
this
> raw data in order to be able to perform the below task (if you're not
> using POV, you will have to find your own way to deal with it).
>
> The data file contains sufficient information that the audio can be
> matched to each of the 3 or 4 instruments used to record it, such
that
> an instrument or scene could be animated in time with it.
>
> Challenge: create an animation using the above. It is not required
that
> you animate instruments. You may choose to make something trippy or
> cool coupled with the beat. It's up to you. Length should be at least
> 20 seconds, but would preferably be the same as that of the audio
file.
>
> To be reasonably feasible I would expect that most of the animation
> would have to be automated - but SDL is one of POV's strengths.
>
> [This challenge was inspired by Animusic*, LOR**, the 'Wizards of
> Winter' video***, and similar items over the years].
>
> * http://www.animusic.com/
> ** http://www.lotsofrobots.com/
> *** http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IK90Ys2LhSo
>
> 5. You are supplied with a set of images that, if put together, form a
> short film (in the region of 300 seconds or so). This movie is shot
> using a real video camera and consists of a defined room or outdoor
> area, the measurements of which are supplied to you, along with the
> details and locations of one or two of the major items of furniture
> present. You are additionally provided with camera tracking data* in
> a form suitable to be used in SDL, plus some macros to deal with it.
>
> The actual details of the video, where it is shot, and what it
contains
> (e.g. if there are people present, and if so, what they are
doing/saying
> etc) will be determined by reasonable consensus in advance.
>
> Challenge: render something into this scene such that the finished
> result appears seamless. You can choose any part of the supplied
data,
> including non-sequential portions, but the result should be at least
20
> seconds long.
>
> [Obviously, http://runevision.com/3d/anims/hologram.asp inspired
this].
>
> * If possible this will be high-accuracy date captured from the
physical
> camera motion, if we can get access to the equipment required. If
not
> then it would be derived.
>
> 4 and 5 would obviously be longer-term projects and may run in parallel
with
> shorter ones. Participants in all of these challenges would be encouraged
to
> share WIP's, techniques, and macros with others if they so choose. The
spirit
> of the challenges to experiment, learn, enjoy, do new things, and most of
all
> create neat stuff with POV.
>
> So. Anyone interested?
>
> -- Chris
Chris -
I would be interested. If you would like to contact me we can start some
dialog.
I can tell you who I am, my background, and what I do.
Thank you
Darin
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"Chris Cason" <del### [at] deletethistoopovrayorg> wrote in
message news:45c076e4@news.povray.org...
> Having seen the amount of comments regarding the IRTC's current pause,
it's
> clear that there is a real spirit of competition amongst many users who
are
> now looking for a productive outlet for that.
>
> I've been associated with the IRTC since it was the 'RTC' and run by Matt
> Kruse. However irtc.org has always been 'the' IRTC, and honestly I don't
> expect this to change a lot. IMO the admins have done a fantastic job in
> keeping the competition rolling for more than ten years. Even if the
current
> situation is not resolved there is no technical reason for the site to be
> closed down (though of course it would be wise to modify any parts that
refer
> to accepting submissions and so forth).
>
> However this is not the primary point I want to make in this post.
>
> My point I think is that the IRTC can operate in parallel with whatever
might
> come up to serve as an outlet for this creative spirit of yours. It is not
a
> case of 'replacing' the IRTC, or even having a successor to it. Just for
> there to be something suitable (and preferably fairly automated) that can
> operate as your virtual sounding stage.
>
> I can provide the POVCOMP site source code and web hosting for a new
> competition. Long-time POV user Lance Birch, a professional web designer,
is
> willing to supervise and assist with the coding stage. We would need some
> additional help there, as well as at least three trusted people who are
> willing to make a long term commitment to supervising the operation of the
> contest.
>
> Going on, to me, the question is: what would pique your interest and keep
it
> long term? A clone of the IRTC? Or something quite different, but with a
> similar flavor? Or something else entirely? Or even a competition that has
no
> set flavor - one that changes according to the times?
>
> I would like to suggest one possibility. It would be interesting to be abl
e
> to conduct a series of competitions - of variable length according to
> difficulty - that I would perhaps describe as the "POV-Team's Challenge".
>
> This would involve us coming up with interesting or intriguing ideas for
> renderings - either stills or animations - and challenging you guys to
show
> us what y'all can do. It need not be limited to POV-Ray, though of course
> that's our primary focus.
>
> I've no opinion how voting would work. But the winner(s) of each round
would
> get a nice virtual medal rendered in 100% recycled electrons and a spiffy
> title of some sort. Possibly I could even tweak the news server web view
to
> auto-append an award JPG of some sort to the bottom of all their posts
whilst
> they hold the title (i.e. the badge stays there permanently, but only gets
> added to posts they make whilst title-holder. Or something like that.)
>
> Anyhow: what sort of ideas might we pitch? Here's a few that come to mind:
>
> 1. Challenge: make us laugh. No cliches! Be original.
>
> 2. Challenge: using http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/28710584/ as
your
> inspiration, come up with something different (no copies!) but that
> invokes a similar sense (of, perhaps, anticipation?*) in viewers
minds.
>
> * this word makes me think of the RHPS. Anyone for a Rocky Horror
round?
>
> 3. You are provided with a photograph of an equipment room of some sort
> (perhaps a server room). It has plenty of electronic/computer gear/
> wiring in it. You also get measurements of the room and of the larger
> bits of furniture within it, sufficient to re-create a reasonable
> facsimile of it.
>
> Challenge: steampunk it. Photorealism is encouraged.
>
> 4. You are supplied a music track in mp3 format and a data file in text
> format, suitable for parsing by POV-Ray's SDL.
>
> Prior to the start of the competition, a group of you would have
created
> a set of SDL routines to manipulate, interpolate, and otherwise use
this
> raw data in order to be able to perform the below task (if you're not
> using POV, you will have to find your own way to deal with it).
>
> The data file contains sufficient information that the audio can be
> matched to each of the 3 or 4 instruments used to record it, such
that
> an instrument or scene could be animated in time with it.
>
> Challenge: create an animation using the above. It is not required
that
> you animate instruments. You may choose to make something trippy or
> cool coupled with the beat. It's up to you. Length should be at least
> 20 seconds, but would preferably be the same as that of the audio
file.
>
> To be reasonably feasible I would expect that most of the animation
> would have to be automated - but SDL is one of POV's strengths.
>
> [This challenge was inspired by Animusic*, LOR**, the 'Wizards of
> Winter' video***, and similar items over the years].
>
> * http://www.animusic.com/
> ** http://www.lotsofrobots.com/
> *** http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IK90Ys2LhSo
>
> 5. You are supplied with a set of images that, if put together, form a
> short film (in the region of 300 seconds or so). This movie is shot
> using a real video camera and consists of a defined room or outdoor
> area, the measurements of which are supplied to you, along with the
> details and locations of one or two of the major items of furniture
> present. You are additionally provided with camera tracking data* in
> a form suitable to be used in SDL, plus some macros to deal with it.
>
> The actual details of the video, where it is shot, and what it
contains
> (e.g. if there are people present, and if so, what they are
doing/saying
> etc) will be determined by reasonable consensus in advance.
>
> Challenge: render something into this scene such that the finished
> result appears seamless. You can choose any part of the supplied
data,
> including non-sequential portions, but the result should be at least
20
> seconds long.
>
> [Obviously, http://runevision.com/3d/anims/hologram.asp inspired
this].
>
> * If possible this will be high-accuracy date captured from the
physical
> camera motion, if we can get access to the equipment required. If
not
> then it would be derived.
>
> 4 and 5 would obviously be longer-term projects and may run in parallel
with
> shorter ones. Participants in all of these challenges would be encouraged
to
> share WIP's, techniques, and macros with others if they so choose. The
spirit
> of the challenges to experiment, learn, enjoy, do new things, and most of
all
> create neat stuff with POV.
>
> So. Anyone interested?
>
> -- Chris
Chris -
I would be interested to help out.
If you would like to contact me we can start some dialog.
I can tell you who I am, my background, and my education.
Thank you
Darin
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Jim Charter wrote:
> Didn't know you were a Rocky Horror fan. I was just invited to
haven't watched it for years but was quite keen on back in the day. saw the
stage show as well, maybe half a dozen times over the years. the whole thing
is just good crazy fun:) ... the 'mad scientist in castle' theme is fertile
soil for a computer graphics competition, especially when mixed with a good
dose of humor.
> Robbins'/Sarandon's ranch on Sunday. Their son is goalie on the hockey
neat! ... I've always felt that SS doesn't like to be reminded of her role in
that movie, when she was not so nearly famous :/
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> If you would like to contact me we can start some dialog.
> I can tell you who I am, my background, and my education.
thanks for the offer, if there is enough interest in participating I will do
so. I think this will depend on the direction the IRTC takes.
-- Chris
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Count me in Chris. I also think the mix of technical and artistic challenges
could definitely give more people the chance and desire to compete.
I've not participated in the past nearly as much as I would have liked, but
have been a huge follower of IRTC since I discovered it ~10 years ago. I
want to see it stick around, but we should take this opportunity to see if
we can't change it/add to it to make it better than it's been.
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Chris Cason <del### [at] deletethistoopovrayorg> wrote:
> Even if the current situation is not resolved there is no technical
> reason for the site to be closed down (though of course it would
> be wise to modify any parts that refer to accepting submissions
> and so forth).
It's not clear to me why the IRTC can't be continued in the current form. As
I understand things, the primary issue is that the admin is AWOL. Prior to
that, the primary issue was the admin was consistantly late in posting and
announcing new topics.
I don't understand why, if the current admin has disappeared, the IRTC can't
be taken over by another administrator. There have been various admins that
have come and gone in the past, and I don't see why the contest hinges on
this one particular admin.
> Going on, to me, the question is: what would pique your interest and keep
> it long term? A clone of the IRTC? Or something quite different, but with a
> similar flavor? Or something else entirely? Or even a competition that has no
> set flavor - one that changes according to the times?
Again, I don't understand the necessity of closing the "old" IRTC and coming
up with another contest. It seems to me that there's still
considerable interest in maintaining the IRTC in its current form.
I understand how it would be beneficial to have additional competitions,
especially if they are focused on POV-Ray specific features. However,
replacing the IRTC with something new is a bit like throwing the baby out
with the bathwater.
In fact, given the number of submissions for this Animation round, I don't
understand why this round can't be open for judging.
-- David
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David Cuny <dcu### [at] lansetcom> wrote:
> It's not clear to me why the IRTC can't be continued in the current form.
Many people have the opinion that the IRTC could benefit from some
spicing up. Give people more varied challenges than just a topic.
Appeal to a more wide variety of people. Try something different from
time to time.
The IRTC could also perhaps benefit from a more focused approach.
The current liberal approach is ok, but it has gotten a bit old. That
doesn't mean that there couldn't be free-form rounds from time to time,
but perhaps increase the challenge and set up more specific rules.
--
- Warp
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Chris Cason wrote:
...
The lack of responses surprises me. Actually I thought I did respond to
this in the positive but I am so bleery-eyed after a night of driving I
probably forgot to press SEND
Anyway I like the idea of shaking up the format a bit, especially the
idea of variable length contests and contests in parallel. I also think
the idea of "challenges" over, or in addition to, "topics" is a good
one. Your examples are intriguing and suggest some enticing
possiblilties for starting from a "seed" of materials, image, or source
in another media rather than a topic or concept. I think all of this
alos allows you to "raise the bar" in some places while still giving
fledglings a place to compete.
> So. Anyone interested?
>
>
Question is a little ambiguous but if you are asking for volunteers I am
willing. However my skills are fairly limited, technically.
-JC
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I'm certainly interested to see what comes of this. My two cents would be
that, though I enjoy the technical aspects of POV a great deal, and would
be exited to see some competition in that realm, I alo think that the
artistic possibilities are rarely fully developed and deserve equally to be
explored.
At least in my opinion, it isn't so much the competition as the deadline,
and the chance for feedback. Doing an IRTC round is a sort of
NaNoWriMo-like event for me --- I finally finish an entire image because I
HAVE to. In that spirit, I think it would be fun to have some
so-fast-it's-silly contests; 24 hours to make a scene? 1 hour?
Finally, I will say that I do a good bit of web design, and I can work
pretty happily in perl, PHP, ASP, HTML, and javascript. I'll happily donate
time if you want it.
Sam Bleckley
http://enso.freeshell.org/
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[Previous post got lost; reposting]
I think this is an excellent idea. My two cents:
(cent one) I think that, as interesting as it will be to have technical
competition, the artistic possiblities of POV have only rarely been
explored ot their full potential; it might be equally interesting to have a
few 'rounds' that go exactly in the opposite direction and be as completely
artistic as possible. Of course, it is the synthesis fo the tow that makes
the most interestic scenes (to me), but limiting one's self is always a
good exercise.
(cent two) I always used the IRTC less for competition and more for a
deadline (gasp). Entering the IRTC was a NaNoWriMo-like experience for me,
forcing a project to completion. It might be fun to have some uber-short
*time* contests; 24 scenes, that sort of thing (in addition, of course, to
the others)
Brainstorming now, would it be sensible to instead just build a structured
site in which *any* member could start a contest, administer it, give all
the rules, etc, prizes, whatever? Then you can have a constant flow of new
contests without any one person getting sick of the work. There would,
inevitably, be many contests with no entrants, or just one or two, but at
the same time, there would be no backseat drivers. *shrugs* I don't know if
that would be the smart way, but it would certainly be the _internet_ way ;)
Finally (and in conclusion; that is, to wrap up) I am pretty comfortable
doing web-based programming (PHP, ASP, perl, mySQL) and would happily
donate some time and energy to this project, if you wanted it.
Sam Bleckley
http://enso.freeshell.org/
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On Wed, 31 Jan 2007 21:58:54 +1100
Chris Cason <del### [at] deletethistoopovrayorg> wrote:
> I can provide the POVCOMP site source code and web hosting for a new
> competition. Long-time POV user Lance Birch, a professional web
> designer, is willing to supervise and assist with the coding stage. We
> would need some additional help there, as well as at least three
> trusted people who are willing to make a long term commitment to
> supervising the operation of the contest.
Hi Chris
I'm not sure about the 'trusted' issue, but I've done quite a few pages
in PHP and others, I offer my help.
> I would like to suggest one possibility. It would be interesting to be
> able to conduct a series of competitions - of variable length according
> to difficulty - that I would perhaps describe as the "POV-Team's
> Challenge".
Yes! Every single one of the propositions seems tempting! And even though
the IRTC certainly has (had?) its merits, I would certainly welcome (and
would be more easily seduced to participate in) a more dynamic challenge.
John
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"John Coppens" <joh### [at] johncoppenscom> wrote in message
news:200### [at] johncoppenscom...
> On Wed, 31 Jan 2007 21:58:54 +1100
> Chris Cason <del### [at] deletethistoopovrayorg> wrote:
>
> > I can provide the POVCOMP site source code and web hosting for a new
> > competition. Long-time POV user Lance Birch, a professional web
> > designer, is willing to supervise and assist with the coding stage. We
> > would need some additional help there, as well as at least three
> > trusted people who are willing to make a long term commitment to
> > supervising the operation of the contest.
>
> Hi Chris
>
> I'm not sure about the 'trusted' issue, but I've done quite a few pages
> in PHP and others, I offer my help.
>
> > I would like to suggest one possibility. It would be interesting to be
> > able to conduct a series of competitions - of variable length according
> > to difficulty - that I would perhaps describe as the "POV-Team's
> > Challenge".
>
> Yes! Every single one of the propositions seems tempting! And even though
> the IRTC certainly has (had?) its merits, I would certainly welcome (and
> would be more easily seduced to participate in) a more dynamic challenge.
>
> John
Hi Chris,
As I mentioned before, I would be very happy to help out in any capacity.
Please email me, so we can discuss what is truly needed to make the irtc
continue on another ten years. I have Web programming background, and
would be willing to make a long term commitment to supervising the
operation of the contest.
Darin Bottner
dbo### [at] eastsoundsuitescom
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"Chris Cason" <del### [at] deletethistoopovrayorg> wrote in
message news:45c076e4@news.povray.org...
<snipped but read>
Chris, I'm truly sorry that I haven't replied any sooner to your
suggestions. Personally, I think they are really good suggestions, but at
the moment, I'm really confused as to what is happening with the IRTC, and
to be honest, I'm really confused by the whole thing. It's like the pot of
gold at the end of a rainbow - you can see the rainbow, but when you get to
where you 'think' the end is, there's no pot of gold. (I've actually done
that as a kid with a beautiful full colour range rainbow, (as I know it now,
I didn't back then)). ---> Disappointed.
You want to show your 'hard-worked-on' image or animation, (which I'm
getting into now), as a piece of 'art' within 'these' groups. Yes, you can
post your image/animation elsewhere, but that's then segregated from here
and you have to go physically look for it and hopefully have that account or
create one to do so. (Even though we all might have to create an account for
the new comp).
My main point of this reply is that everyone is left in limbo 'now',
which is why I'm doing what I'm doing with the help and suggestions of
others - I really and sincerely hope this is ok with you Chris. When I
create this new site (and if I have to at all), I would feel more
comfortable with your blessing. (It seems as though you are not getting the
answers that you want too).
~Steve~
> -- Chris
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A long time ago Chris Cason wrote:
> Going on, to me, the question is: what would pique your interest and keep it
> long term? A clone of the IRTC? Or something quite different, but with a
> similar flavor? Or something else entirely? Or even a competition that has no
> set flavor - one that changes according to the times?
I'd be interested in a clone/continuation of the irtc - and the "Tina
Chep" round (and hopefully the "before/after" round) seem to show that
there's still some demand for this.....
> I would like to suggest one possibility. It would be interesting to be able
> to conduct a series of competitions - of variable length according to
> difficulty - that I would perhaps describe as the "POV-Team's Challenge".
I do like the challenge ideas and the variable lengths and styles of the
challenges might cause different people to come up with some impressive
results. They might inspire people for whom the irtc format has grown
stale, but I'd suggest/request they should run in parallel to the IRTC
or it's successor.
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OK, it's a little early to say this, but this is probably the right place.
That idea I double posted (sorry) of having a decentralized contest site
stuck with me --- and I realized it didn't need to be specific to graphics
(though that would be a major audience). So I'm building it.
I figure it's going to be another month or so before alpha testing. If you'd
like to help build, I'm happy to consider it, but what I'd really love to
have is a group to do testing when the time comes.
Anyone interested?
--
Sam Bleckley
http://www.enso.freeshell.org/
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Sounds interesting. I agree that it's mostly about the deadline, also for me
it has a lot to do with the topic. Plus fast contests would be fun (I can
definitely make something in 1 hour!).
I'll definitely take a look at the site when you have it running and if the
contests are interesting I'll enter!
--
Tek
http://evilsuperbrain.com
"stm31415" <stm### [at] gmailcom> wrote in message
news:web.45f2cc8ae1b965b2cf1900cc0@news.povray.org...
> OK, it's a little early to say this, but this is probably the right place.
> That idea I double posted (sorry) of having a decentralized contest site
> stuck with me --- and I realized it didn't need to be specific to graphics
> (though that would be a major audience). So I'm building it.
>
> I figure it's going to be another month or so before alpha testing. If
> you'd
> like to help build, I'm happy to consider it, but what I'd really love to
> have is a group to do testing when the time comes.
>
> Anyone interested?
>
>
>
>
> --
> Sam Bleckley
> http://www.enso.freeshell.org/
>
>
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I just saw this post.
I had an idea of spicing up the topics, the old system of which I often
found deflating. When I felt I was going to be making a (nonetheless
LAME-O) space epic when others were going to be making demos of special
effects in photorealism, I was uninspired.
http://base.google.com/base/a/1047972/D17372762218891870809
I took the 5800 book titles available at Project Gutenberg and took out the
800-odd that I thought would be really fun to animate to-- things like
Jules Verne, Poe, Edgar Rice Burroughs, some Shakespeare, some Twain, some
Doyle. For example if the title were "Queen of Mars" you wouldn't
necessarily have to go study that particular text in order to be on-topic,
but the title itself just makes for all kinds of coolness.
Folks could review the list to see if any were completely objectionable and
then if we still have say >>>300 items we could pick from those on a random
basis.
I was half-thinking starting "my own" contest on youtube, but that may or
may not be a good idea. ;-)
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Warp wrote:
> Btw, the short code contests have been one of the best advertisements
> for POV-Ray I have ever seen.
:-D That was always my thoughts as well.
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This looks like an attractive idea, Greg.
One could make it even more hilarious/interesting by scrambling randomly the
words of the titles, like is done in the book macro of Gilles Tran for
instance.
Thomas
"Greg M. Johnson" <pte### [at] thecommononethatstartswithYcom> schreef in
bericht news:45f8b179@news.povray.org...
>I just saw this post.
>
> I had an idea of spicing up the topics, the old system of which I often
> found deflating. When I felt I was going to be making a (nonetheless
> LAME-O) space epic when others were going to be making demos of special
> effects in photorealism, I was uninspired.
>
> http://base.google.com/base/a/1047972/D17372762218891870809
>
> I took the 5800 book titles available at Project Gutenberg and took out
> the
> 800-odd that I thought would be really fun to animate to-- things like
> Jules Verne, Poe, Edgar Rice Burroughs, some Shakespeare, some Twain, some
> Doyle. For example if the title were "Queen of Mars" you wouldn't
> necessarily have to go study that particular text in order to be on-topic,
> but the title itself just makes for all kinds of coolness.
>
> Folks could review the list to see if any were completely objectionable
> and
> then if we still have say >>>300 items we could pick from those on a
> random
> basis.
>
> I was half-thinking starting "my own" contest on youtube, but that may or
> may not be a good idea. ;-)
>
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Hi all:
I have participated in several contests of the IRTC (14 times).
http://exether.free.fr/irtc/index.php?sub=authors&lang=es&auth=enrique_sahagun_alonso
and somehow I left it (as someone said) because I now need much more time to
get satisfied with my images. So appart from the ideas you gave I propose to
stand at least two stills contests, a sort-term and a long-term one.
And to finish I will say something that I know, it is not going to be very
popular. When I started participating in the IRTC it was very exciting to
me that no (lets say) post-production was allowed. And due to that, since
then, I had the idea that in and out of the IRTC, no post-production should
be used. Now that I do my images not for the IRTC but for myself I'm
starting to use post-production to improve my images. I'm not very good
with this (I'm still learning how to use the GIMP and similar software) but
I think it is a good idea to make a picture with pov and then
try to improve it by using filters.
I dont know if this last idea is going to look interesting to all you, but
think of it for a while.
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I can't survive without competition. I discovered IRTC and POVray only 4
years ago but i am an addict today.
I wish i could help you in designing some new features, but i have no skill
in that field.
I have to say that i learned a lot from the artist that post their images on
IRTC, and especially from the one that gave explanation and source from
their submit.
This is why i suggest to add in the vote an item concerning the quality of
the explanation posted, in order to pull the level.
About the different challenges, i fully agree with some more technical
ideas, because the artistic one need to be able to use many tools and
software i don't have, because they cost a lot of money, and i don't have
time to studty them neither.
Above all, what i love in Ray Tracing is photorealism. The more realistic it
looks, the best it is.
Yves.
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"Dorlindel" <nomail@nomail> schreef in bericht
news:web.460a621ee1b965b2d499f0420@news.povray.org...
>
> I can't survive without competition. I discovered IRTC and POVray only 4
> years ago but i am an addict today.
> I wish i could help you in designing some new features, but i have no
> skill
> in that field.
> I have to say that i learned a lot from the artist that post their images
> on
> IRTC, and especially from the one that gave explanation and source from
> their submit.
> This is why i suggest to add in the vote an item concerning the quality of
> the explanation posted, in order to pull the level.
>
> About the different challenges, i fully agree with some more technical
> ideas, because the artistic one need to be able to use many tools and
> software i don't have, because they cost a lot of money, and i don't have
> time to studty them neither.
>
> Above all, what i love in Ray Tracing is photorealism. The more realistic
> it
> looks, the best it is.
>
I do agree with you, except on two point: artistry is not synonymous with
many tools and/or expensive software. The most famous painters in the world
are not famous because they used the most expensive paint or canvas or the
largest number of brushes. Artistic quality lies in a totally different
domain, also where computer graphics are concerned, also for most of the
past IRTC winners.
The second point is a matter of personal taste indeed, as you say yourself.
Imho, photorealism is not the main quality (or even purpose) of ray tracing.
It is just a tool to express one's ideas, dreams, concepts, from totally
abstract to hyperrealistic. But that's me.
Thomas
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"Dorlindel" <nomail@nomail> wrote:
>
> Above all, what i love in Ray Tracing is photorealism. The more realistic it
> looks, the best it is.
>
On some youtube animation a guy was interspersing a whole bunch of 2D images
with some obvious "real footage" with apparently some of his own
photorealistic 3D. And then I guess you were supposed to be impressed with
the 3D based on the introduction-- I think it was a portfolio reel. But
either there was verrrry little 3D or it was verrrry photorealistic. In
either case the viewer was left wondering what was 3D in a /bad/ way.
I hate photorealism. If you are going to the trouble of making perfect
photorealism, go get a camera. Someone out there has an exhaustively
photorealistic picture of a freeway in 3D. To the overwhelming majority of
folks who see the image (i.e., those who aren't told beforehand that it's
3D), he has bored them to death. He fails to enlighten and lift up and
entertain.
What I love is work that suggests photorealism from another universe with
plausible physics. It is true to the consequences of those physics, but it
doesn't look like a photo taken here.
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